THE SCOOP LIFESTYLE SERIES

THE SCOOP BUILDING & RENOVATION SERIES

THE SCOOP GUIDE SERIES

Click the icon on toolbar for more instructions

HOW TO VIEW OUR TITLES

TURN PAGES by clicking the arrows at the side of the page, or by using the toolbar.ZOOM IN by clicking anywhere on the page.READ by dragging the page around when zoomed in.ZOOM OUT by clicking anywhere on the page when zoomed in.VISIT web sites or send emails by clicking on hyperlinks.

126 HOMES & ART WINTER 2012
Homes & interiors
New York | New work, New York
DESIGN FILE
Ulises Liceaga discusses his family business
What is your favourite feature of the residence?
It is hard to choose so mething... but probably the
most dramatic featu re is the LED glass facade.
Anything you’ d do differently in hindsight?
I would n ot do anything drastically different.
Although perhaps I wo uld have allocated mo re
time in the pro ject schedule fo r special featu res
like the glass in the back.
Do you have any tips for designing into,
and restoring heritage homes? Choose a few
impor tan t historic featu res to be preser ved a nd
‘go crazy ’ w ith the rest.
How does it feel to live in your labour of love?
It feels aweso me!
STOCKISTS Blomus blomus.com C or cor.de De S ed e
desede.ch DCC ddcnyc.com Emilio G arc ia garciaplascencia.
com Frac tal Construc tion fractal-construction .com Ingo
Maurer ingo-maurer.com Knoll knoll.com ODA Architecture
oda-architecture.com Rim adesi o rimadesio.it Sa nt’Agostino
ceramicasantagostino.i t/en/ Val c u ci n e valcucine.it Vittorio
Bonacina propertyfurniture.com.
Internally, the walls and ceilings of the
living and kitchen area are peppered with
the sensuous sculptures and exploding
light fixtures of Garcia and Maurer.
But perhaps what’s most engaging is
the full-height glass curtain that replaced
the bricks-and-mortar rear wall of the
two main floors. Fitted with tiny
diodes, which remain invisible by day,
it transforms the exterior into a private
constellation in the evening. “It’s my
favourite feature, but co-ordinating
the production and installation of the
facade’s glass wall was one of the key
challenges,” says Ulises. “The LEDs came
from Germany, the steel frames came from
upstate New York, and the glass planks for
the terrace came from Florida.”
Ingenious space-maximising design
has meant the townhouse doesn’t want
for a breath of fresh air. Every available
skerrick of roof has been converted into
usable space, with the house boasting
two additional terraces and a roof deck.
The outdoor terrace that extends from
the living room has a glass floor, which
overlooks the private gardens below.
The palette of steel, glass and ceramics
creates a contemporary residence, melding
with bold decor to make the design
thrilling, yet warm and inviting. The
Isaly-Liceaga’s interior style mingles this
clean-cut contemporary feel with a vintage
ingenuity. “Most of the elements were in the
space prior to renovation, but we decided to
refurbish them and rework them back in,”
says Ulises. “My advice to achieve a look of
a similar vein would be to start with a clean
slate, then get professionals of different
disciplines to interact with the designer
during the whole process – we used a
sculptor, lighting expert, artist and so on.”
The traditional brick that encases this
Gramercy Park gem makes the visual
symphony of the interiors that much more
arresting and unexpected on entry. From
the simple yet ambitious motives, the
result is an outstanding showcase of the
modernity that can be achieved within the
walls of heritage architecture.
09
09. All the available roof space has been maximised to create a
pair of additional terraces and a roof deck. The overall effect is to
create a calm oasis above the bustle of the city below.